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Lower T14, 1L: ideally would want to end up post-grad working in either fed or state government. I know it's pretty difficult but anything I can do now to maximize this potential of this happening besides grades? Should I be looking to do 1L summer w/ a USAO, fed agency or state attorney's office rather than a judicial internship? 2L summer? Any specific classes I need to take?

Prefer gov for PSLF and stability (at least stability in comparison to biglaw) purposes. Thanks in advance peeps.

BUMP

or at the least, anyone know if working for any of the fed agencies during 1L and 2L summer might help w/ post-grad employment w/ a fed agency?

Demonstrated commitment to public service is very important in securing a government position right out of law school, so I'd recommend spending at least one of your summers with a governmental entity. I thought I wanted to do government work when I started law school, so I did my 1L summer with a federal agency and did an externship with another agency. In terms of classes, Administrative Law is a must if you want to work for a federal agency. Other than that, just take classes in the areas that interest you and then apply to the agencies/offices that work in those practice areas.

First, what area of law? Criminal work (USAO, DA, AG, PD) is a little different from civil work, especially in terms of classes to take.

As a 1L, you should absolutely be trying to intern in an office that hires 3Ls and you would want to end up in, not a judicial internship. If your school has a clinic in a government office, sign up to do that next year. If not, look for externships near your school at places you'd want to end up. Try to intern every semester past 1L until somoene hires you full time. Clerkships, even in state trial courts, can be really useful for DAs or AGs (depending) or other litigation heavy positions.

The one caveat is, if you'd really like to end up somewhere and they hire out of their 2L summer class, try to work somewhere different but substantively similar 1L to leave your options open for 2L summer. Your focus should be doing good work in front of people who could hire you to a full time position ASAP.

^^ definitely not PD but an ADA, maybe prosecution work, or really any state or federal government besides PD. Also, do you know which agencies or offices hire 3Ls?

So If my career goal is working for federal or state government, it's better to do something like usao or other federal agency work 1l summer rather than judicial internships or if i get lucky, an SA (nonurm hispanic here)

depends on the agency. IRS and SEC hire their summers quite a bit. DOJ is different there are way more SLIP positions than honors positions plus the application is open to everyone. I hope you understand that while working at a USAO demonstrates a commitment to public service its basically impossible to be hired as an AUSA right out of school. I agree any clinics your school offers in government would help you. Also don't forget about the presidential management fellowship when you are a 3L if your interested in working in a fed agency job that may or may not be legal related

Anonymous User wrote:^^ definitely not PD but an ADA, maybe prosecution work, or really any state or federal government besides PD. Also, do you know which agencies or offices hire 3Ls?

So If my career goal is working for federal or state government, it's better to do something like usao or other federal agency work 1l summer rather than judicial internships or if i get lucky, an SA (nonurm hispanic here)

Ask your career services office for a password to the Arizona Guide which will list all of the agencies that have 3L honors programs. A few Feds hire from their summer class of 2Ls but you see that more with state and local. If you want to do criminal work, do that 1L summer because civil agencies are usually fine with DA experience (especially in litigation) and DA offices want to see commitment to that path. Does your school have an AUSA or DA clinic? That's a great way to get three internships instead of just two summers.

Awesome, thanks!

Also: Would working at a DA office 1L summer (Manhattan, Brooklyn, etc) be good for future hiring at those offices or other DA offices post-grad? Thanks!

Someone who knows more about those offices can feel free to correct me but my understanding is that the Manhattan DA hires out of their 2L class (as well as other applicants). So if I wanted to work there post-grad, I would want to get other experience 1L that would be valuable to a DA office (Brooklyn DA, for example, or an USAO office--an office that hires 3Ls but not from their summer class is ideal) and then apply for my 2L summer with DAs that hire out of their summer class (including the Manhattan DA) for the best chance at post-grad hiring.

didn't read... say 1L and decided to post the obligatory " focus on exams now and throughout the end of exam period, then once you get over the hangover from celebrating start applying asap"